Speculum.



Patented'Dec. I9, 1899.

w. scum-men.

sPEcuLum.

(Application filed. Jan. 18, 1896.)

(No Model.)

VVii'n eases rates rrnn amnnrr tribe.

WILHELM SOHEERER, OF TUTTLINGEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE AOTIEN-GESELLSCHAFT FllR FEIN MECHANIC, VORMALS IETTER dz SCHEERER, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECULUll/l.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 639,444, dated December 19, 1899.

Application filed January 18, 1896. Serial No. 576,017. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILHELM Sonnnnnn, manufacturer of surgical instruments, of Tuttlingen, Wiirtemberg, Germany, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Speculums, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in speculums.

The object of the present invention is to produce a speculum in which the two upper wings overlap in such a manner that upon inserting and opening the speculum both wings will spread apart to the desired distance,while at the same time overlapping each other, so as to prevent penetration of the parts between the two wings.

With this object in view my invention consists in the features, details of construction, and combination of parts, which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a speculum embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 a front View, of the same.

Referring to the drawings,A is a lower wing, preferably duck-bill shaped and provided at its forward end with lateral cars a, which slope upward and outward. To the said ears the two upper wings B and O are pivotally and removably attached in a well-known manner by means of their extended and bent arms I) and c. The adjustment of both wings B and O is effected by a set-screw D,whose disk bears against the ends of the arms b and c and which is threaded onto the screw-bolt d, secured to a central dependent ear a, formed on the lower wing A. The said upper wings B and 0 when closed have a downward inclination toward the end 6 of the lower wing, (see Fig.

1,) and each upper wing is rounded off or turned downwardly at the outer side, so as not to present sharp edges, which might tend to cut into surrounding parts on the spreading or adjustment of said wings after insertion of the speculum. Moreover, the said wings have no reduced or shank portions connecting or uniting them with the forwardly and downwardly extending arms I) c, which form the supports therefor; but they are of such width at the forward end of the speculum as when closed to completely inclose or cover the space between the side edges of the lower wing A. In this way there can be no protrusion of fleshy parts between the wings B 0 either when the speculum is first inserted or after the wings are spread or adj usted outwardly. Moreover, still, the said upper wings are practically of equal width throughout their length, excepting that as they gradually flatten to a slight extent toward the point 6 they are slightly spread, and it will be observed that the one wing B overlaps the other,O,to a gradually-increasing extent from the points marked 1 to the points marked 2, until a complete overlapping is effected. In other words, the inner edges of the said wings cross each other diagonally at the forward end of the speculum, and said edges are thus continued until the inner edge of each wing is substantially'fiush or even with the outer edge of the other. Due to this construction, combined with the specific support for the upper wings, the said wings can be adjusted or spread to as full an extent as is ordinarily required in use Without inward protrusion of fleshy parts, since it will be seen that on operating the adjusting device to spread the wings such spread takes place to a gradually-increasing extentfrom the forward to the opposite end of the speculum. It will thus be seen that the upper wings are practically closed at all positions to which the same may be adjusted orspread, while at the same time the length of the screw-bolt D is such that the said wings may be spread beyond the limit of practical use, and thereby slightly separated, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, in order that the speculum may be easily and effectually cleaned or sterilized.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A speculum comprising a lower wing,

. movable upper wings of substantially equal width throughout their length mounted at one end on one end of said lower wing, and adjustable devices for spreading the upper wings, said upper wings being constructed and arranged one to overlap the other to a gradually-increasing extent lengthwise, both in the opened and closed positions of the wings, substantially as described.

2. A speculum comprising a lower wing, upper Wings of substantially equal width throughout their length provided with the downwardly-extendin g bent su pportin g-arms, the latter having a pivotal support upon one end of the lower wing, and the adjusting bolt and disk supported by said lower wing for moving said arms to spread the upper wings, said upper wings being constructed and arranged one to overlap the other to a graduallyincreasing extent lengthwise, both in the ing witnesses.

, WILHELM SOHEERER.

Witnesses:

AUGUST B. DRAUTZ, CHRISTIAN BAUER. 

